Separator apparatus



Dec; 1%, 1929. I c. MATLOC'ZK 3 SEPARATOR APPARATUS I Filed fiov. 22, 192:5 s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Dec. 10, 1929. c. MA'TLocK SEPARATOR APPARATUS Filed NOV. 22, 1925 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Deg. 10, 1929. c. MATLOCK 1,738;717

SEPARATOR APPARATUS FiledNov 22, 1923 Sfieets-Sheet 3 'mmu lllll Ill . Patented Dec. 10, 1929 SFATES smear orrlca OHAUNGEY MA'ILOGE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO MONROE-LOUISIANA.

' GARBON COMPANY, OF MONROE, LOUISIANA, A. CORPORATION 01 DELAWARE snrann'ron Arrmwrus Application filed November 22, was. Serial Nd. 678,458.

This invention relates to an apparatus for separatingsolid particles from gases at high temperatures, and more particularly to an apparatus for separating carbon-black or soot 5 from hot flue gases. 1

Broadly stated, the present invention consists in an improved type of separator for removing the solid particles from gases at.

high temperatures comprising a common housing in which are positioned a plurality of tubular metal screens, all of which-are attached at their tops only to a supporting plate within the casing. The bases of the screens are free to move axially of the casing in accordance with the expansion determined by the heat of the gases. The invention also involves the idea or introducing the carbon laden gases at the top of the separator and moving them downwardly through the tubular screens to the base of the seprator where the gases are removed and the separated carbon deposited in a receptacle. The invention also involves the separation of the deposit of carbon from the interior of the screens by means ofa power operated spiral scraper rotatable within each tube, adapted to remove the free carbon and permit it to settle in the receptacle at the base of the separator. In my co-pending application Serial No. 474,496, filed June 2,1921, Patent No. 1,617

071, there is described a novel arrangement of elements going into a separating system for removing carbon-black from carbon laden gases in which, instead of passing the heated gases from the furnace into direct contact with chilled metal plates where the free carbon is deposited, the heated gases are carried directly from the furnace without cooling into a filter or separator having a plurality of screens, the gases being at such a temperature that the tar and oil are not deposited upon the screens but pass therethrough in a gaseous condition, only the carbonbeing deposited upon the screen surfaces. In this way a very superior grade of carbon-black has been obtained almost entirely free of tarry and oily substances. Further, in my co-pending application SerialjNo. 515,67 3, filed November 16, y 1921, Patent No. 1,617,073, there. .was described a specific type of separator inwhich metal tubular screens were utilized sup orted at their bases and freely movable at the1r tops, there being yielding connections to the top plate by means of springs adapted to take up expansion due to the heating of the gases. In the present applicationthere are shown several important improvements on the separator disclosed in the co-pending application above referred to such as make the separator of special utility in connection with the uses as a ove described.

Among the objects of the invention; therefore, is the provision of aseparator of theclass described wherein the separate tubular screens within theseparator casing are sup ported only at their tops. A further object is the provision of means whereby the various separator screens are individually adjustable at the base of the separator. Still another object is contemplated in the rovision of 7c packing means surrounding the ase plate of y the separator which permits free movement ofthe base in accordance with expansion and contraction due to heat and at the same time prevents the free passage of solids in the gases. Another object is the utilization of resilient connecting means at the base of the screen elements whereby the separator screens are maintained in proper alignment and. prevented from rotating in relation to the upper portions thereof. It is an object also ofthe invention to utilize means whereby the carbon laden gases are led in at the upper end of the separator and conducted downwardly there-' through so that the movement of the gases 85' coincides with the movement of the free carbon as it settles into the base receptacle. An. important object of the invention further is the provision of power operated rotatable scrapers, positioned within each of the various tubular screens and adapted by rotation to remove the solid carbon accumulated from the heated-gases passing therethrough and permit the same to settle into the receptacle at the base. Further objects are con- 95 templated in theprovision'of an airlock device at the base of the receptacle; a conveyor at the base of the receptacle beneath the air lock adapted to continuously remove the da posited carbon; the provision of means where- ,izr

by each screen tube may be removed individually from the casing; a provision of means whereby the screens as a whole may be removed from the separator casin and further details involving the method of manufacture and construction which may be observable in connection with the description of the specific embodiment of the invention herein disclosed se arator interior;

igure 3 is a section on lines 3-3 of Figurel;

'Fi re 4 is a vertical detailed section showing t e inlet and outlet connections to -the separator and the mechanism of the tubular screens includin the scrapers;

Figure 5 is a etail of ascraper;

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a plan view showing the power means adapted to rotate the scrapers;

Figure 8 shows a detail of the worm drive connection and v Figure 9 shows a detail of the stulfing box on the scraper drive shaft. 4 a

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, the separator is designated by the numeral 10 and is shown as consisting of a main cylindrical casing 11 at the base of which is mounted a hopper ornreceptacle 12 having passage into a screw conveyor 13 by means of a 1'0- tatable air lock mechanism 14. The structure is mounted u on suitable standards 15 in close relations ip to the furnace, not shown, producing the carbon laden gases. Such gases are led from the furnace by means of a conduit 16, passed through the separator downwardly toward its base and led out by I means of the conduit 17 to proper condensing and other apparatus to completely utilize the content of the gases and extract. all usable material therefrom. Suitable power devices are, employed, such as rotatable fans, in order to remove the gases from the separator at the proper speeds to obtain the best results.

Slide valve 18, in the conduit 16, and 19, in

the conduit 17, are utilized to regulate the rate of flow of gases from the separator.

Within the casing 11, as illustrated more particularly in Figure 4, is a series of individual screen elements 20, suspended from a top plate 21, fastened-to the casing at a level beneath the intake port 16. This plate is formed with a number of apertures adapted to receive the tube rings 22 to which they are attached by a series of bolts 23 passing through flanges 24 surrounding the various 7 apertures. Fastened to these tube rings or bands22, and depending therefrom, are metal screens, preferably of Monel metal having a mesh of about 350 to an inch. The bases of these screen tubes are similarly attached to tube rings or hands 25 which, in turn, are secured. to outwardlvextending flanges 26, formed in a base plate 27, there being this difference, however, in that the apertures 28,

formed in the base ring, 25, areyertically eldngated so as to permit individual adjustment of the various screens within the base I plate apertures to overcome lrregularity 1n construction. a

The base plate 27 instead of being attached to the edge of the casin as is true of the upper plate 21, is exten ed on its periphery in the form of a ring 29, extending around the plate, in close juxtaposition with the cas-' ing. A packin ring 30 is interposed between the ring 29 an thecasingso that a close, but

ried out are relatively high, this provision for variation 'in the lengths of the tubes is very important. J

It'is desirable, however, that the base of the screens should 1 1 ot be rotated with respect to the tops thereof, and to guard against this contingency there is provided a plurality of machine bolts 31 passing through the edge of the base plate 27 adjacent the ring 29 and extendingthrough holes formed in a ledge 32 of the casing. Intermediate the under plates on these bolts and thelower side of the casing shoulder 32 is interposed a coil spring 33 so that the baseplate may have movement upwardly or downwardly, the spring 33 yielding to correspond with this movement, but at the same time the rigidity of the bolt prevents rotation of'the base plate relative to the upper plate 21. Positioned within each of these tubular screens 20, above spiral scraper extends from a point adjacent.

the top' of the screen to the base thereof and is so designed that its outer edge comes close to, but not in contact, with the-screen. One". object of this construction is to prevent undue .wear of the metal forming the screen. It has furthermore been found in-practice that a small permanent deposition of carbon on the screen increases the efliciency of the separation rather than diminishes the same,

and the slight separation between the outer edge of the scraper and the screen permits I the formation of a thin film of carbon insufficient to obstruct the apertures in the screen shafts 40.

area-717 and yet suificient to increase the separating action of the same.-

An auxiliary scraper 95 is indicated as attched to the top of the hub which is ada ted to scrape the carbon from the top edge of the screen ring 22.

The hub 35 of the scrapers are each supported by, and attached ,to, the depending shaft 38 of the worm Wheel 39. Referring to Figure 7, it is notable that the various screens are symmetrically arranged so that the worm shafts and worm wheels are grouped; in a plurality of aligned rows, each of which is operable by means of a power shaft 40 carrye ing a plurality of worms 41, each in engagement with the corresponding worm wheel 39. Suitable power transmission means, as indicated by the belts 42, is provided to supply the requisite force to rotate the worm The worm gear assembly is mounted upon the plate 43 su ported by suitable standards 44 fastened to t e top plate 45 of the casing structure.

Figure 8 illustrates the type of hearing by which the worm wheel 39 is supported, there being indicated a base member46 enclosing a bushing 47, above which is positioned a bearing 48 containing a runway 49 for the ball bearings 50 Mounted to rotate on the ball bearings is a plate 51 having a depending external flange 52 adapted to maintain the plate in proper position on its'base, and to this plate 51 the gear 39 is attached.

In Figure 9 there is disclosed the type of "packing utilized to prevent egress of gases cess into thebase of the casing 11, a pluralityof holes are provided, which are normally closed by screw plugs 61, these holes beingpositioned around the base of the casing 11 at regular'intervals such as found requisite] in the operation of the separator. Inasmuch as the action of the separator takes place at relatively high temperatures, the casing 11 is provided with a'heat insulating lining 90,

extending the full length thereof, whereby the temperature within the separator is maintained fairly constant and at a point. approx-- imately e ulvalent to that at which it emerges from the urnace interior.

The above description relates specifically to the separator with .its attached screens and the means, including the spiral scrapers,-for

removing the free carbon deposited within the screens. After removal by the screens,

neath the main casing, the ends of'the screens opening directly thereinto. The apex of the cone at its base enters preferably into an air trap apparatus consisting, as illustrated in Figure 1, of a power rotated element having .a'plurality' of fan blades so positioned relative to each other that there is always a bar rier to the passage of gases in and out at the base, the rotation of the same therefore per mitting the carbon-black to escape into the a hopper 12 of conical formation directly beconveyor 13 at the base of the apparatus. The

conveyor 13 is of the ordinary screw type, being preferably ower' driven to remove the carbon, as it is eposited therein, through an enclosed passageway to storage bins for the carbon-black.

As'additional means for obtaining access to the interior of the separator thereis provided a manhole 65 on the side of the hopper 12 by means of which the movement ofthe carbon-black andthe state of repair of the screen basemay be readily determined.

It is believed that the operation of the sep-' arator is readily understandable from the above description. The heated gases from the furnace, laden with free carbon, pass into the separator at its topthrough the opening 16 being regulated by the valve 18; and under the influence of suctionor compression from the power operated fan in the line of communication, the gases are moved outwardly through the various tubular screens 20 and toward the outlet conduit 17. In the passage through the screens the heated gases, which are at such a temperature that the various tarry and oily. constituents are in a vaporized condition, the free carbon .is' deposited upon the inner screen surface, from which it is removed by the rotation of the scrapers 34, as hereinabove indicated. The

free carbon, after falling to the hopper 12 and conveyor 13 is removed to storage bins while the gases, relieved of theiffree carbon, are preferably-carried on to condensing chambers and subyected to a further separating or filtering action and may be finally liberated into the atmosphere.-- I

Attention should be directed to certain dis: tinctive features ofthe improved separator, as above described. The construction of the apparatus, comprisingthe suspending from which'the topplate 21 and the upper. plate 45 are attached to the casing, the whole separator interior may be removed bodily with the greatest ease. This is an exceedingly importantconsideration in anoperative app-arathe freecarbon or the carbon-black falls into ms of this nature. Another important conat the same time not preventin up and down vented from wrinklin or bending in such a movement of the base plate. oreover, the springs 33 on the bolts 31 maintain the screens constantly under a tension so that they are elongated to their natural limit and premanner as to destroy t e metal screening. It is pointed out further that the packing 30 surrounding the base plate ring 29 prevents a free passage of the furnace gases through the base of the tubes down into the hopper and then up by the ring 29, this being detrimental to the action of the separator inasmuch as it is desirable that all furnace gases pass through the mesh of the screens and deposlt the free carbon thereupon. A further consideration, as previously indicated, hes in the fact that instead of passing the gases from the base of the separator upwardly, as has been attempted in other tgypes of apparatus, the furnace gases are led rom the top of the separator to the base so that the free falling carbon moves in the current of the heated gases and tends to attain a certain momentum due to gravit which assists materially in the I deposition 0 the carbon-black in the base rev scribed that various modifications of the inbon.

ceptacle. This design of the separator wherein the gases are led into the separator at the top thereof is also advantageous as Wlll be apparent especially from a consideration of Figure 4 in that after passing through the screen there will be a tendency for the gases to rise upwardly outside of the screen within the separator towards the top support plate 21 and to again pass through the screen mesh and outwardly again, thus multiplying the action of the screen in removing the free car- Another feature accessory to the invention lies in the fact that the base plate 27 is of sufficient mass to act as, a stretching medium for the various screens tending to maintain the same taut and in this way acting in conjunction with the bolt springs 33.

It is apparent from'the consideration of the embodiment of the invention hereinabove devention may be made, each coming with in the spirit of the invention and I intend therefore to claim the same broadly as well as specifically, as indicated by the claims hereto appended Having thus described the invention, what' is claimed is:

1. A separator for removing solids from gases comprising a separator easing a pluintegral .therewith and in contact'wit said casing. r

2. 11 an a paratus for removing solids from gases, t e combination of a separator cas1ng;.a plurality of tubular screens arranged in parallel and adapted to remove solids from the ases, within the casing; means for supportmg said screens within the caslng; and additional means consisting of a rotatable scraper within each of said screens, for continuously removing the solids from the screens so as to permit continuous passage of the gases therethrough.

3. In an apparatus for removing solids from gases, the combination of a casing; a tubular screen-within said casing, said screen bemg attached at one end only and being freely movable at its other end; a Weighted base plateat the lower end of the screen; and

means whereby the screen is adjusted 'rela tive to the'base plate.

4. In an apparatus for removing solids from gases, the-combination of a casing; a plurality of tubular screens within the eas- 1ng; a top plate adapted to support the various screens at their tops within the casingj a base plateattached to the bases of said screens w1th1n the casing, movable axially thereto; and means whereby each of the various screens may be adjusted relative to the base plate independently of the other screens.

5. In an apparatus for removing carbon from flue gases, the combination of a casing having an upper inlet port and a lower outlet port; an apertured plate in the top of said cas ing beneath said inlet port; a plurality-of tubular screens attached to said upper plate wrthm said apertures; means for maintaining sa1d screens under a tension; and means for perm tting free movement of the lower ends of sa1d screens in accordance with the variation of temperature of the flue gases and means for individually adjusting said screens relative to the screen tensioning means.

6. In an apparatus for removing carbon from flue gases, the combination of a casing havmg an upper inlet and a lower outlet port; a plurahty of tubular screens intermediate sa1d ports, such screens being fixed at their upper ends and movable in the direction of their axes at their lower ends; a scraper in each of said tubular screens for'removing the carbon deposited on the inner surface of said screens from the gases passing therethrough'; and means for simultaneously operating said scrapers so as to continuously remove the said carbon from the path of the gases.

7. A process for separating carbon black during its manufacture from carbon containing gases so as to prevent inclusion of tarry and oily constituents, which comprises inducting the gases while heated to a temperature at which the said constituents are in a vaporized condition into the upper end of a perforated metallic tube, and withdrawing said gases through the perforations of said tube while the gases remain at substantially the'said temperature, thus depositin carbon on the inner wall of the tube wit out inclusion of the said tarry and oily constituents, and removing said carbon from the tube wall during the separating process.

8. A separator for removing solids from gases comprising a separator casing; a plurality of tubular metal screens within the casing; means for supporting said screens from their tops so as to hang substantially vertif cally; means for permitting individual limited movement of the bases of each of the screens; and means for reventing the passa e of solids around the ases of the screens. 11 testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

CHAUNCEY MATLOCK. 

